Mono Potassium Phosphate has already been ordered waiting for it's arrival next week.

Is it practical to try using water from the drinking water stations as they have undergone a good stage of filtration so i'm sure there is nothing dissolved as much in the water which will make it softer i assume?

I am also wondering if using the drinking water will help tetras or tiger barbs mate and spawn? I know there are other things involved, but this will help? any idea?

Good question on the second pharagraph.
I have a friend who does that, using drinking station water to do pwc every 2 weeks. He has good growth on plants.
Water shops uses RO. I've seen one close to my place and they have excellent stages of filtration.

So my KH2PO4 came in. I was wondering how much i should start off dosing?

I mixed ~2.25mL of KH2PO4 into a 75mL solution of water. Taken from the ratio suggested in link below "mix 7.2 grams or 1.5 teaspoons or 0.50 tablespoons into 250 ml of water":http://www.rexgrigg.com/dosing.htm

Given that... it says 1mL of the solution doses "0.53 ppm of PO4 in 10 gallons of water". I have a 40 gallon tank. and my Nitrates showed between 80-100. Does that mean i need to get 10ppm phosphates in the water? that's a lot of dosing? no?

So my KH2PO4 came in. I was wondering how much i should start off dosing?

I mixed ~2.25mL of KH2PO4 into a 75mL solution of water. Taken from the ratio suggested in link below "mix 7.2 grams or 1.5 teaspoons or 0.50 tablespoons into 250 ml of water":http://www.rexgrigg.com/dosing.htm

Given that... it says 1mL of the solution doses "0.53 ppm of PO4 in 10 gallons of water". I have a 40 gallon tank. and my Nitrates showed between 80-100. Does that mean i need to get 10ppm phosphates in the water? that's a lot of dosing? no?

I would first try to lower those nitrate levels (to say 20 ppm or lower, preferably) before dosing your phosphates.

Nick, Sac tap water is extremely soft.
American river water basically.
A few areas might get other source, but not likely.
East up 50/80, same deal, super soft, you need GH booster.

Do a large water change, say 60-70%, then dose after.

Most of the issues once you add ferts: CO2.

So true, i live in folsom, i think we share same if not similar water. Although API test kits aren't accurate, fact that they change after the first drop for testing GH and KH leads me to believe I have very soft water.

So true, i live in folsom, i think we share same if not similar water. Although API test kits aren't accurate, fact that they change after the first drop for testing GH and KH leads me to believe I have very soft water.

When I lived in the county of Sacramento, the Arden-Arcade district, not the city, much of the water supply came from wells, scattered over that water district. My water then was much harder than it is now. I hate Seachem Equilibrium, so I quit using it. I think I need to buy a different GH bulder and see if that makes a difference in my low light tank.

Not sure there is a proper GH, depends on what kind of plants you have. Some will grow better in soft water, some will prefer hard water.

As for me, my tap water is soft (GH of 2-3). I have 2 little calcareaous rocks in my 65G tank, that make the GH go higher (now it is at 6), for 2 reasons.

If the GH is not too soft (at least 3), there should be enough calcium and magnesium in the water for most plants, it is commonly belived.
If the GH is not too soft, the risk of pH fluctuations is less risky.

Not sure there is a proper GH, depends on what kind of plants you have. Some will grow better in soft water, some will prefer hard water.

As for me, my tap water is soft (GH of 2-3). I have 2 little calcareaous rocks in my 65G tank, that make the GH go higher (now it is at 6), for 2 reasons.

If the GH is not too soft (at least 3), there should be enough calcium and magnesium in the water for most plants, it is commonly belived.
If the GH is not too soft, the risk of pH fluctuations is less risky.

Forgive my english, it is not my native language.

Michel.

KH determines the buffering capabilities of the ph not GH. But everything else seems right. You also may want harder water if you have snails or other inverts because they need more calcium for their shells.
I wish I lived where there was soft water. Just moved and my gh is 17 out of the tap and kh is 13. Waiting on RO water is a pain.

As far as dosing the Macro & Micro Mix i have, do i still need to dose if my nitrate levels are high enough or should i only dose when the levels get too low? Or does it not have anything to do with nitrates?

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